Investigations

Below is the list of all lore entries titled Investigations, found by inspecting buildings in-game. Most Investigations are discovered in the Gravitas Facility in the Space Biome.

! EVACUATION NOTICE !

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: NONE 

Attention all Gravitas personnel

Evacuation protocol in effect

Reactor meltdown in bioengineering imminent

Remain calm and proceed to emergency exits

Do not attempt to use elevators

Encouraging Results

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: THREE 

We've succeeded compressing and expanding small portions of time under .03 milliseconds. This proves that time is something that can be physically acted upon, suggesting that our vision is attainable.

An unintentional consequence of both the expansion and contraction of time is the creation of a "vacuum" in the space between the affected portion of time and the much more expansive unaffected portions.

So far, we are seeing that the unaffected time on either side of the manipulated portion will expand or contract to fill the vacuum, although we are unsure how far reaching this consequence is or what effect it has on the laws of the natural universe. At the end of all compression and expansion experiments, alterations to time are undone and leave no lasting change.

Nucleoid Article

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: THREE 

Incredible Technology From Independent Lab Harnesses Time into Energy

Scientists from the recently founded Gravitas Facility have unveiled their first technology prototype, dubbed the "Temporal Bow", a device which manipulates the 4th dimension to generate infinite, clean and renewable energy.

While it may sound like something from science fiction, facility founder Dr. Jacquelyn Stern confirms that it is very much real.

"It has already been demonstrated that Newton's Second Law of Motion can be violated by negative mass superfluids under the correct lab conditions," she says.

"If the Laws of Motion can be bent and altered, why not the Laws of Thermodynamics? That was the main intent behind this project."

The Temporal Bow works by rapidly vibrating sections of the 4th dimension to send small quantities of mass forward and backward in time, generating massive amounts of energy with virtually no waste.

"The fantastic thing about using the 4th dimension as fuel," says Stern, "is that it is really, categorically infinite".

For those eagerly awaiting the prospect of human time travel, don't get your hopes up just yet. The Facility says that although they have successfully transported matter through time, the technology was expressly developed for the purpose of energy generation and is ill-equipped for human transportation.

Byproduct Notes

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: THREE 

[LOG BEGINS]

Director: I've determined the substance to be metallic in nature. The exact cause of its formation is still unknown, though I believe it to be something of an autoimmune reaction of the natural universe, a quarantining of foreign material to prevent temporal contamination.

Director: A method has yet to be found that can successfully remove the substance from an affected object, and the larger implication that two molecularly, temporally identical objects cannot coexist at one point in time has dire implications for all time manipulation technology research, not just the Bow.

Director: For the moment I have dubbed the substance "Neutronium", and assigned it a theoretical place on the table of elements. Research continues.

[LOG ENDS]

Possible Applications

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: THREE 

[LOG BEGINS]

Director: Temporal energy can be reconfigured to vibrate the matter constituting Neutronium at just the right frequency to break it down and disperse it.

Director: However, it is difficult to stabilize and maintain this reconfigured energy long enough to effectively remove practical amounts of Neutronium in real life scenarios.

Director: I am looking into making this technology more reliable and compact - this data could potentially have uses in the development of some sort of all purpose disintegration ray.

[END LOG]

Planetary Echoes

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: THREE 

 Echo One 

Olivia: We've double checked our observational equipment and the computer's warm up is almost finished. We have precautionary personnel in place ready to start a shutdown in the event of a failure.

Olivia: It's time.

Jackie: Right.

Jackie: Spin the machine up slowly so we can monitor for any abnormal power fluctuations. We start on "3".

Jackie: "1"... "2"...

Jackie: "3".

[There's a metallic clunk. The baritone whirr of machinery can be heard.]

Jackie: Something's not right.

Olivia: It's the container... the atom is vibrating too fast.

[The whir of the machinery peels up an octave into a mechanical screech.]

Olivia: W-we have to abort!

Jackie: No, not yet. Drop power from the coolant system and use it to bolster the container. It'll stabilize.

Olivia: But without coolant--

Jackie: It will stabilize!

[There's a sharp crackle of electricity.]

Olivia: Drop 40% power from the coolant systems, reroute everything we have to the atomic container!

[The whirring reaches a crescendo, then calms into a steady hum.]

Olivia: That did it. The container is stabilizing.

[Jackie sighs in relief.]

Olivia: But... Look at these numbers.

Jackie: My god. Are these real?

Olivia: Yes, I'm certain of it. Jackie, I think we did it.

Olivia: I think we created an infinite energy source.

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

 Echo Two 

Olivia: What on earth is this?

[An open palm slams papers down on a desk.]

Olivia: These readings show that hundreds of pounds of Neutronium are building up in the machine every shift. When were you going to tell me?

Jackie: I'm handling it.

Olivia: We don't have the luxury of taking shortcuts. Not when safety is on the line.

Jackie: I think I'm capable of overseeing my own safety.

Olivia: I-I'm not just concerned about your safety! We don't understand the longterm implications of what we're developing here... the manipulations we conduct in this facility could have rippling effects throughout the world, maybe even the universe.

Jackie: Don't be such a fearmonger. It's not befitting of a scientist. Besides, I'll remind you this research has the potential to stop the fuel wars in their tracks and end the suffering of thousands. Every day we spend on trials here delays that.

Olivia: It's dangerous.

Jackie: Your concern is noted.

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

Campus Newspaper Article

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: THREE 

Party Time for Local Students

Students at the Elion University of Science and Technology have held an unconventional party this weekend.

While their peers may have been out until the wee hours wearing lampshades on their heads and drawing eyebrows on sleeping colleagues, students Jackie Stern and Olivia Broussard spent the weekend in their dorm, refreshments and decorations ready, waiting for the arrival of the guests of honor: themselves.

The two prospective STEM students, who study theoretical physics with a focus on the workings of space time, conducted the experiment under the assumption that, were their theories about the malleability of space time to ever come to fruition, their future selves could travel back in time to greet them at the party, proving the existence of time travel.

They weren't inconsiderate of their future selves' busy schedules though; should the guests of honor be unable to attend, they were encouraged to send back a message using the codeword "Hourglass" to communicate that, while they certainly wanted to come, they were simply unable.

Sadly no one RSVP'd or arrived to the party, but that did not dishearten Olivia or Jackie.

As Olivia put it, "It just meant more snacks for us!"

Director's Notes

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: THREE 

When we discuss Time as a concrete aspect of the universe, not seconds on a clock or perceptions of the mind, it is important first of all to establish that we are talking about a unique dimension that layers into the three physical dimensions of space: length, width, depth.

We conceive of Real Time as a straight line, one dimensional, uncurved and stretching forward infinitely. This is referred to as the "Arrow of Time".

Logically this Arrow can move only forward and can never be reversed, as such a reversal would break the natural laws of the universe. Effect would precede cause and universal entropy would be undone in a blatant violation of the Second Law.

Still, one can't help but wonder; what if the Arrow's trajectory could be curved? What if it could be redirected, guided, or loosed? What if we could create Time's Bow?

Time's Arrow Thoughts

 * Unique name: 

 ENCRYPTION LEVEL: THREE 

I've been unable to shake the notion of the Bow.

The thought of its mechanics are too intriguing, and I can only dream of the mark such a device would make upon the world -- imagine, a source of inexhaustible energy!

So many of humanity's problems could be solved with this one invention - domestic energy, environmental pollution, the fuel wars.

I have to pursue this dream, no matter what.

CRYOTANK SAFETY
 IMPORTANT OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CRYOTANK 3000 
 * Do not leave the contents of the Cryotank 3000 unattended unless an apocalyptic disaster has left you no choice.
 * Ensure that the Cryotank 3000 has enough battery power to remain active for at least 6000 years.
 * Do not attempt to defrost the contents of the Cryotank 3000 while it is submerged in molten hot lava.
 * Use only a qualified Gravitas Cryotank repair facility to repair your Cryotank 3000. Attempting to service the device yourself will void the warranty.
 * Do not put food in the Cryotank 3000. The Cryotank 3000 is not a refrigerator.
 * Do not allow children to play in the Cryotank 3000. The Cryotank 3000 is not a toy.
 * While the Cryotank 3000 is able to withstand a nuclear blast, Gravitas and its subsidiaries are not responsible for what may happen in the resulting nuclear fallout.
 * Wait at least 5 minutes after being unfrozen from the Cryotank 3000 before operating heavy machinery.
 * Each Cryotank 3000 is good for only one use.